Most of the local shops have been killed by the internet, that and about 15 years ago the govt found out that small businesses could be a cash cow, and proceeded to milk them to death.

I saw this happen in the model train industry first. where certain companies would sell to anyone who had the cash instead of only selling to established shops. Now, with the model train industry in such a decline that the oldest and largest manufacturer, Marklin, is in receivership, everyone is crying the blues.

Think about it. You go in to a shop and see a Tamiya tank with a retail of say $700. Being net savvy, you immediately think "oh my, I saw that same tank on a Hong Kong sight for $500. I'll buy it there.". So, you save $100, because the shipping is another $100, and when you need the paint and other goodies for your mail order tank, you pop on down to the local shop. And he's gone. I wonder why?

I supported my local shop in Jax for years, before tanking was popular. Remember when the first Tam Full Option tank came out? What was it? Just about all my tanks came from them when I lived there, and my radios, and all the paints and other supplies. What they did not have and I personally did not carry, I bought on the net. They did not carry any of the detail parts, and for that and for a couple other reasons I formed etoarmour.com to carry the detail and functional parts for us tankers. When I started the company, the entire line of Schumo and another supplier would fit in a shoe box in multiples with room left over. Not true today. I at this time have in excess of 250 different parts, in multiples.

Depending on what you are looking for, some hobby shops may have it. such as paints, adhesives, plastic stock for scratch or semi-scratch building, tools, etc. However, I doubt you will find a single retail shop in USA that has 1/16 detail parts. Not enough money in them for a local shop to carry them generally.